Electric cigarette lighter



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ELECTRIC CIGARETTE LIGHTER PRAMAGGIORE Filed May 25. 1958 E w m f NE.nn Q n wm -Q\ wm` H i Q m DI w P11., Wv/ L@ Q mm n.

United States Patent O 2,913,559 ELECTRIC CIGARETTE LIGHTER Luigi Pramaggiore, y Aosta, Italy Application May 23, 19158SerialrNo. 737,387 l s claims. tcl.. 21a-a2) The present invention-has for ,its object an electric safety device for the ignition'of cigars and-cigarettes, with acoustic and/or luminous indication, especially for motor vehicles. i

The device according ,to the present invention, and a preferred form of embodiment with acoustic indication, is essentially constituted by a metallic tubular body with one end fixed to the dashboard and with the other provided with a cover acting as a bell, carrying on the interior, towards the dashboard,- an igniting resistance situated in a small dished portion on which there are drawn out a plurality of small metallic blades or fixed contacts, intended to close the electric circuit when they make contact, and hooked to other corresponding small tongues, or movable contacts, fastwith a core slidable in the tubular body, between the supportof the resistance and a centrally bored end portion' through which a spring casing passes, which is adapted to contain a spring intended to be compressed by a central pin for contact with the resistance, and carryingat its rear end two opposed enlarged portions intended to come into contact with as many small tongues placed in the passage orifice of the said casing when the latter is moved by traction by means of draw-rods united with one another by a cross-member and actuated by a handle situated outside the dashboard and sliding on a tubular sleeve coaxial with the resistance, by the introduction of the cigar or cigarette, elastic return means being provided for returning the whole of the movable elements into the original position when the resistance, after lighting the cigarette, and reaching a pre-determined temperature, causes the expansion of the blades, freeing the small tongues and thus opening the electric circuit.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear in the course of the following description which, with reference to the accompanying drawing which is given purely by way of non-limitative diagrammatic example, -will make it clearly understood how the present invention can be carried into effect, the features appearing either from the text or from the drawing naturally forming part of the invention.

Figure 1 represents the device, on an enlarged scale, in axial-longitudinal section and in the inoperative position.

Figure 2 shows the same device in partial axial-longitudinal section along the line II--II in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross-section along the line III--III in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a cross-section along the line IV-IV in Figure 1.

The device is constituted by a cylindrical, metallic, tubular -body 1, with the forward end carried by the dashboard 2 of the motor vehicle (not shown) and with the rear end provided with a bell 3. Internally and on the front the body 1 is axially provided with a spiral ignition resistance 4 placed in a dished portion 5 insulated therefrom at 6 and provided with three metallic spring blades 2,918,559 Patented Dec. 22, 1959 ICC 7 disposed at 120A andl housed in corresponding radial slots 8 cut in a support 9, of insulating material, fixed to the body 1 of the pin 10, insulated therefrom, which is intended to receive the electric current supply and to transmit it to the metallic cover 11 embedded in the support 9, the external surface of which is facing the base of the afore-mentioned slots 8, in order to establish contact withv the blades 7, which are capable of expanding when a pre-determined temperature has been reached. The said cover 11 is insulated from the central metallic earthing pin 12, which also supports the dished portion and the resistance 4. In the opposite or rear part there is fixed an end piece 13 of insulating material, with square central hole, by means of screws 14 intended to fix the small contact tongues 1,5, passing through the said hole, and the bridge portion 16 to which the bell dome 3 is screwed.

In the tubular body 1, between the support 9 and the end -piece 13, there is placed, and moves, a core of insulating material 17, provided centrally with a metallic casing 18 extending through the square hole of the end piece 13 and terminating with two opposed prominences 19, in the vicinity of the bridge piece, which is mounted astride and the ends of its four branches 16 are bent back and pushed between the end piece 13 and the tubular body 1, in order to keep it in position. The casing 18 contains internally a helical spring 20 with one end insulated and the other pressing a central pin 2,1 which projects and travels therein. In the core 17 there are partially incorporated small tongues 22 or movable contacts, corresponding to the blades 7 or fixed contacts.

Between the rear part of the casing 18 and the bridge piece 16 there is interposed a metallic cross-piece 23, insulated from the casing, and at the ends of which there are fixed two draw-rods 24, passing longitudinally through the entire tubular body 1 and screwed with the opposite end to a metallic socket 25 situated on the dashboard, after having passed through the metallic counter-socket 26 to which there is screwed, with the possibility of dismantlement for cleaning, the metallic tubular seleeve 27, coaxial with the resistance 4, for the introduction of the cigarette. Upon the said sleeve there is fitted the handle 28 of insulating material, which in turn is screwed to the socket 25.

On the cross-member 23 connecting the draw-rods 24 there are fixed, at the sides of the bridge piece 16, two

pins 29 surrounded by helical springs 30, one part of l which is housed in corresponding passing holes cut in the end piece 14. =In the bell dome 3 there is installed the clapoer 31 actuated by the translational movement of the casing 18.

When the cigarette is introduced into the casing 27, the hole of which is internally conical in order to avoid smoke wrapping round it, the cigarette is thrust until it encounters the resistance 4. By pulling upon the handle 28 the socket 25 screwed thereto, `and the two rods 24, are shifted. The latter, in turn, by means of the crossmember 23, will shift the casing 18 in such fashion that the projections 19 of the casing come into contact with the small tongues 15; during this movement, the pin 21 will strike against the pin 12 and the spring 20 will be compressed, while the tongues 22 will hook on to the tongues 7 forming contact with the cover 11 intended to receive the main current. At this moment the electric circuit closes, and the resistance 4, becoming hot, lights the cigarette. When a pre-determined temperature has been reached the blades 7 expand, or become larger, and free the tongues 22, so that the whole of the mobile part returns into the original position (Figures 1 and 2), being returned by the springs 30. At the same time the prominences 19 will set the bell mechanism into action.

In order to permit a rapid cooling of the blades 7 and easy escape of the smoke, appropriate apertures 32 are cut in the tubular body 1.

It is apparent that theindication can be luminous rather than acoustic, or both at the same time, while the bell mechanism can be provided with means different from those described and illustrated; thus the main current takeup can be solved differently, while if it is desired to install the luminous indication, an indicator lamp will be installed on the dash-board, the lighting and extinguishing of which lamp are caused by the shifting of the movable part respectively by means of pulling on the handle and automatic return to the original position.

Naturally the embodiment described and illustrated does not constitute a limitation of type, it being obvious that it is possible to introduce variants, modifications, and additions into the invention in question, without thereby departing from the fundamental criteria and principles upon which the invention is based and character ised.

I claim:

1. A cigarette lighter, particularly for automotive vehicles, comprising a hollow body, an electrical heating element mounted within the body, a guide secured on the body and positioned to guide the leading end of an introduced cigarette into contact with the heating element, rst fixed contact means secured to the body in electrical connection with the heating element, other movable contact means slidably carried by the body and movable manually to abut against the fixed contact means, spring loading means arranged to act between the body and the movable contact means to urge said movable contact means away from the fixed contact means, and a resilient metallic catch member mounted in the body in heattransfer relationship with the heating element and positioned to engage with and retain the movable contact means when said means is moved into contacting position, said catch member being expandible by the heat transferred from the element sxo as to release the springloaded movable `vcontact means 4after a predetermined rise in temperature of the heating element.

2. A cigarette lighter, as claimed in claim l, wherein the body carries a bell and a clapper for said bell, the clapper being disposed in the return path of the movable contact means for indication aurally of termination of the heating period.

3. A cigarette lighter, particularly for automotive vehicles, comprising a hollow body, an electrical heating element mounted within the body, a guide secured on the body and positioned to guide the leading end of an introduced cigarette into contact with the heating element, rst tixed resilient metallic contact means mounted in the body in electrical connection and in heat-transfer relationship with the heating element, other spring-loaded movable contact means slidably carried by the body and movable manually to engage with the` lixed contact means, said lixed contact means and said movable contact means being shaped to form a catch serving to retain the movable contact means against its spring-loading, said fixed contact means being expandible by heat transferred from the heating element so as to release the movable contact means, for return by its spring-loading to rest position, after a predetermined rise of temperature of the heating element, a bell carried by the body, and a clapper for said bell disposed in the return path of the movable contact means for indication aurally of the termination of the heating period.

References Cited' in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,270,564 Schroeder Ian. 20, 1942 2,381,726 Davis Allg. 7, 1945 2,557,225 Hutchinson June 19, 1951 2,630,517 Hiscar e Mar. 3, 1953 2,648,758 Kroll et al Aug. 1l, 1953 2,701,836 Pavenick a Feb. 8, 1955 2,778,915 Jorgensen Ian. 22, 1957 

